Pompeii
by SailorYue
Summary: What were our angel and demon doing during one of the most devistating volcanos in history?


To say the volcano erupting was unexpected is not entirely true. The warning signs were there, the humans just chose to ignore them. And now, Vesuvius was about to blow, which will cause millions of deaths that one lone angel would not be able to prevent.

He helped people rush to the sea, helped with the evacuation, struggling with the possible knowledge that the volcano nearing it's end point. With every tremor, the doom was looming. He had to try. He couldn't save anyone during the Great Flood as it was Gods will. But this, Aziraphale had received no order from heaven about the volcano or the deaths it would bring so he took it as a sign he could save someone. But as the next tremor knocked him off his feet, he wondered if it would be be possible?

"Angel? What the heaven are you doing here?!" Aziraphale looked up to see a familiar face.

"Crowley! I'm trying to help with the evacuation. Getting people on these boats." The angel coughed. The air was becoming thick with soot from the volcano. It wouldn't be long.

The next tremor that happened was different from the rest. I was accompanied by a loud explosion. Both angel and demon looked up at the mountain peak and saw danger.

"We have to go, angel." Crowley tossed off his glasses. It was too hard to see now with how thick the smoke was.

"But we have to help!" The angel cried helplessly.

He wanted to just miracle away the volcano but knew that would cost too much magic. He helped a running child back on his feet. He started to go after them to help more, only to be stopped by a firm grip a his elbow.

"AZIRAPHALE! We have to go. There's no more time. Bring out your wings, it's the only way to escape discorporation. And trust me, you don't want to go out that way." Crowley's eyes were fully serpentine at this, the desperation clear as the demon brought his dark wings into existence.

The angel hesitated only one more moment before bringing his own white ones out, and they both leapt to the air.

They flew fo what seemed like hours through the smoke an soot, Aziraphale looking at the destruction as they fled. The he's from the volcano providing enough thermals to get them above the smoke to fresher air, no that either being truly needed to breath. They flew to the nearest land far enough from Pompeii, though they could still see the smoke from the distance. They landed, and disappeared their wings, beginning to take stock of themselves.

Their togas singed and tattered from the burning embers that struck them during their flight, and Crowley could taste the soot in his lungs. He needed something to drink for sure. He looked over a his blond haired associate (although I was more grey than yellow at this point) who stood staring at the black cloud on the horizon.

"They're all dead. Every one of them." Aziraphale's voice was hoarse, obviously his lungs also full of ash. "None of them escaped."

"Angel." The demon was unsure of what to say. Consoling someone wasn't his strong point, what demon can? He shook his head. "I can tell you this, none of them suffered in their death. I can guarantee their deaths were swift."

The angel looked over at him, sadness clouding those blue eyes.

"Was that YOUR demonic work?" He forced out, still ignoring the pain from having his lungs full of smoke.

Crowley can deal with the angel accusing him of certain things, it makes him look good in hell's books. But not this. He stood up swiftly.

"You think I would do sssomething like that angel? That I would wisssh anyone to feel what I felt when I..." The demon cut himself off one for almost getting too personal, and two he was forgetting himself again. He forced his tongue back to a normal shape. "That volcano was doomed to erupt. It's the humans own fault for ignoring it for so long and living on it!"

Aziraphale's face melted at his demonic companion's words. He turned away in shame, brushing the tears from his eyes.

"No, you're right Crowley. I'm sorry for jumping to that conclusion."

Crowley waved the apology off. "Nah don't start apologizing to a demon, it's unbefitting of an angel."

He gave a wink to show that he accepted the apology, Aziraphale smiling at the gesture, before doubling over in a coughing fit. Crowley gave a vague wave, miracling the soot from the angel's lungs.

"Come on angel, let's find some place to get a drink."

Aziraphale nodded and they both headed towards the town, miracling their clothes to match the locals. It had been a long day, hadn't it?


End file.
